Company penalised for failing to refund for visa

The UT Consumer Forum penalised Cosmos Careers Limited,a career counselling company that provides international assistance,and its managing director,with Rs 30,000 for causing mental agony and harassment to a student whom they failed to fully refund for a visa.

The UT Consumer Forum penalised Cosmos Careers Limited,a career counselling company that provides international assistance,and its managing director,with Rs 30,000 for causing mental agony and harassment to a student whom they failed to fully refund for a visa.

The company,located in Sector 17-B,Chandigarh,has been directed to refund Rs 2,35,775 deposited by the complainant Gurvinder Singh,a resident of district Ropar.

Singh alleged that he approached the company to apply for a United Kingdoms visa,for which he paid them Rs 3,55,000,through a contract in November 2009. The complainant selected London Victoria College for admission,which was later found to be blacklisted by the UK Home Office and so a visa could not be issued for the same.

The company refunded Rs 1,19,225 in July 2010 and a no-dues agreement was signed by the complainant stating the companys refund to him as the full and final settlement. The forum,however,rendered the agreement as not binding since the complainant was a minor at the time of signing the document.

The company has also been penalised with a sum of Rs. 10,000 as litigation costs to be paid within one month.